A Fox in Japan
by Super Comrade
Summary: In the year 1878, Don Diego de la Vega decided to bring his family to Japan ten years after his last visit so he could once again experience the land as he did before. During their trip, he is met by a friend he made the last time he was in Japan, someone he is more than glad to see again.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello my readers, bet you haven't seen this one coming. Now you may be asking yourselves, why is he making such a story. Well, it's quite simple. I saw a video on YouTube made by Geeks For Fun called 'What if ZORRO met RUROUNI KENSHIN?' and found the idea absolutely brilliant so I thought to take a shot at it myself. This fic actually serves as a sequel of sorts to that video, though told in a lot more detail, and implore you to watch that video. It's great. **

**But enough rambling. Enjoy this chapter of my newest story, A Fox in Japan.**

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A Fox in Japan

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1 The Stage is Set

It was the year 1878 during a cold evening in California, a welcome addition to the usual heat that accompanied the land. The sky was clear of all clouds, letting the starry dark blue sky be displayed in its full divine glory while the soft blowing of the wind could be heard as it rustled through the trees in the woods along with an occasional cricket.

In all that calm surrounding stood a large mansion seated on a small hilltop that overlooked the lands. Several of its windows held light in a small part of the mansion. This particular house belonged to one of the wealthiest families in all of California, the de la Vegas.

The mansion was very well furnished, with many decorations ranging from paintings to small tables. Within the single lit room, all the furniture was put to the side to make some space where two men fenced with their rapiers, filling the room with sounds of clashing steel.

One of these two was a man in his sixties, with short grey hair and mustache and blue eyes. He was dressed in a simple white button shirt, black trousers, and shoes. The other similarly dressed man was younger, in his thirties, with wavy brown hair which reached his shoulders and brown eyes.

The men swung their swords at impressive speeds as they clashed. The younger man went for a few thrusts which the older man blocked as he backed away with the younger man following him. Another thrust was followed by quick slash which was blocked and countered, causing the older man to go on the offensive with some of his own thrusts and slashes but all were blocked and perfectly countered by the younger man.

"Good to see you keep your skills as sharp as your blade, Alejandro," the older man commented with a smile.

"Not too bad yourself considering your age, father," Alejandro commented with a smile of his own before once again going on the offensive.

Diego de la Vega could only continue to smile as he continued sparring. He was proud to see that his son inherited his own talent with the blade. Why, the young man was as good as Diego ever was.

"Go, papa, go!" exclaimed another occupant of the room who was sitting on one of the chairs. It was a boy around ten years of age who looked similar to Alejandro but with black hair.

"I don't think you should encourage me, Joaquin," said Alejandro with a little laugh as he blocked his father's attacks. "If anything you should cheer for your grandfather. He actually needs it."

"Oho, getting a bit full of yourself, aren't you?" asked Diego jokingly.

"Sorry, father, but age is indeed catching up to you."

They continued for several more seconds before the tip of Alejandro's rapier found itself at Diego's neck.

Diego let out a laugh. "Very good, my son," he said before sheathing his sword, Alejandro doing the same.

"Well, it's to be expected. After all," Alejandro said as he spread his arms. "The son of Zorro himself has a lot to live up to."

Diego just shook his head in amusement. "You now hold the title of Zorro, my son. My time as Zorro passed years ago."

"I know, father. But it still feels like the identity belongs to you."

Diego put a hand on Alejandro's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Give some more time and the Zorro persona will feel like yours."

The young Joaquin then excitedly approached his father. "Can I train next, papa? As the son of the new Zorro, I should also be an excellent swordsman."

Alejandro chuckled softly before kneeling to be at his son's height. "Your lessons for today are over. It's getting late and it's time for you to be in bed."

Joaquin groaned in annoyance. "But as the future Zorro shouldn't I also practice being awake at night?"

Diego gave a laugh at that. "The boy has a point, Alejandro. Zorro does work at night after all."

Alejandro sent his father an annoyed look. That isn't something he should be encouraging the young boy to do. He then turned back to his son with a smile. "There will be time for your training. You are still young and you need to grow properly. For that, sleep is necessary." Alejandro then kissed his son on the forehead. "Now go and rest, mi hijo. We'll practice tomorrow after your studies. Those are also very important."

Joaquin sighed, but he knew that his father was right. Studying is also an important part of his growth and not just swinging swords, as his mother explained to him. "Alright, papa," the boy said in a soft voice before going upstairs to his room as his father and grandfather watched him leave.

The two men then put their swords to the side as Diego went for a bottle of red wine and two glass cups. After pouring the wine he offered one to his son who accepted it and the two of them took a drink.

"You know, father," Alejandro began. "I honestly think that all this practice isn't as much to keep my skills sharp as they are for yours."

Diego took a sip before giving a shrug. "It serves us both ways. You keep improving while I stay in as good of a shape as I can." He then wiped some wine from his lip. "I don't plan on being defenseless."

"Whatever you say, father," said Alejandro.

"You know, I've been thinking," Diego began. "Do you remember that vacation I took to Japan ten years ago?"

"Yes, I remember. You told me you quite liked it. And that you also met a special swordsman there." Alejandro stopped as he tried to recollect what his father said the swordsman was named. "What was he called again?"

"Kenshin Himura."

"Right, now I remember. Why are you bringing this up now? Are you planning to go again?"

"Oh, I would very much like to go that place again," Diego said as he took another sip. "But here's what I was thinking. I would like you and Joaquin to come with me."

Alejandro stopped himself from taking another drink as he looked at his father. "Are you sure about that? All three of us?"

"Why of course!" Diego said cheerfully. "I would very much like the two of you to experience the land. And Joaquin can experience the world early."

Alejandro pondered about it for a few moments. "Well, I would very much like to see it. I've never been outside the States before. But, who would look over our hacienda in our absence?"

"Don Garcia, of course," Diego suggested with utmost confidence. Demetrio Lopez Garcia was a sergeant in the military during Diego's time as Zorro, and one of the few people very determined to catch him. But Garcia was also a friend to Diego's civilian identity, which was a situation Diego found funny. Garcia wasn't a very lucky man but later became very successful, marrying and fathering two children. However, he passed away years ago when Alejandro was still a boy and his elder son Fernando became a don and now holds the Garcia estate. Fernando was a trustworthy man to both Diego and Alejandro.

"Well, he would certainly do a good job, that's true," Alejandro said before taking the last sip from his wine. "Very well, you've convinced me. We'll prepare ourselves for a trip to Japan." Normally he would also worry if his absence as Zorro would hurt the land but it has been relatively peaceful for a while. They could survive without him for a little while.

"Excellent, I'm glad you agreed," Diego said as he finished his drink. "Now come, let the two of us retreat for the night. Adults need rest as well." Alejandro agreed and the two of them went to their rooms.

Right now, Don Diego de la Vega was honestly feeling excited. His trip to Japan was really eye-opening, especially showing that his age was catching up to him and that he couldn't continue as Zorro. But the friendship he forged with Kenshin was one he wouldn't forget.

Diego actually hoped that he would once again meet the young man in Japan, and so he could meet the new Zorro.

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**AN: And that's all for now. The stage is set for the rest of the story. Also to inform you, this chapter will serve a hold for the story which I will pick up later so don't expect it to be updated any time soon. I will still prioritize my two other stories over this one. This is more or less a trailer chapter for the future.**

**Still, I would appreciate the feedback to this story. Is the idea interesting enough? Would you like to see more? Leave a review. Keeps me motivated.**

**See you later!**


	2. 2 The Land of the Rising Sun

**AN: Hello there, my dear readers. Boy, I didn't touch this one in a while so it's time to rectify that. I thank all of you for your patience.**

**Now to reviews.**

**Dracus6: Well, he is. It's stated in the chapter.**

**mpowers045: I will.**

**TOSoldtimer: Don't worry, I'm not abandoning anything.**

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A Fox in Japan

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2 The Land of the Rising Sun

The three members of the de la Vega family rode in a carriage towards their reserved residence. They dressed almost identically, black pants and shoes, white shirts with ribbons under long-sleeved buttoned shirts, which only differed in color with Diego's being blue, Alejandro's green and Joaquin's reddish-brown. Alejandro and Diego also had canes, with Diego sporting a hat.

After Diego proposed to leave for a vacation to Japan, a prospect that utterly thrilled the young Joaquin, they decided to wait for several months so they could learn proper Japanese. After they thought they learned a sufficient amount they booked the earliest ship and packed. The trip on the boat was pleasant enough considering Alejandro and Joaquin never traveled by boat, even though Joaquin could be a bit impatient.

Diego had to admire how far people advanced in their traveling methods. He remembered when wooden ships were pretty much the only way to travel and now they traveled in a metal one. He really started to feel his age at that point.

Once their ship docked, the Vegas entered a carriage that was to take them to Tokyo where there were hotels specifically made for foreign visitors.

So far they were riding for an hour, with Joaquin glancing out the window every once in a while.

"How long until we get there, abuelo?" Joaquin asked his grandfather.

"We'll get there, nieto. Don't worry," Diego assured him. The carriage bumped into a rock which made it shake along with the passengers making Diego groan. "Though, I also want it to be soon."

Alejandro shook his head. "Sometimes I can't say which one of you can be more childish."

"Come on, everyone is a child at heart. Even when they don't want to admit it."

"Or maybe some of your weak noble act stayed from the time you donned the mask and cape."

Diego waved a dismissive hand. "Alejandro, people usually go to war for childish reasons. That is something you can't deny."

Alejandro sighed. "I suppose I can't," he said. "Speaking of which, last time you were here wasn't there a war that was just over?"

Diego nodded. "Indeed there was. It was about Japan ending their centuries-old isolationist policy and opening their trade borders with the States. It lasted for fifteen years before the Meiji government won and opened the trade routes."

Joaquin paid attention to what his grandfather said. He may have been only ten years old but he had a good grasp on understanding such situations.

"I see," Alejandro said. "So that is also why you were able to visit."

"Indeed. I was very eager to see this part of the world. Outside of Spain, I didn't usually travel overseas."

Alejandro smiled. "Well, I hope that our stay here would be as yours was."

Diego was silent for a brief moment before speaking. "I hope so too." He didn't mention every little thing that happened, especially the part where he slipped up during a bandit attack and almost ended up beaten to death with Kenshin Himura saving his life. He only said that they met during his travel and became friends.

Diego didn't want his son and grandson to worry, and enjoy this opportunity as much as they can. He saw no harm in keeping that as a little secret.

After a while, their carriage arrived in Tokyo at the afternoon. Joaquin peeked outside to see how exactly it looked. He saw the designs of houses and how they differed from the houses he has seen in their pueblo. The people were also dressed strangely in his opinion with a lot of them wearing what seemed to be robes, and quite a few of them had knotted hairstyles.

"See something you like, Joaquin?" Diego asked.

"It looks a bit weird, to be honest," Joaquin commented.

Alejandro, who was also looking outside to satisfy his own curiosity, chimed in. "It does, indeed. But that is a different culture from the one we are used to. Of course, to us, they would look strange. Just as we no doubt look strange to them."

"It looks like they have some puppet show there," Joaquin said as he pointed somewhere. Diego looked out and saw what his grandson was pointing at. "This man is waving around some red serpent."

Diego chuckled. "That's not a serpent. That's a dragon," he explained causing his grandson to look at him. "The Japanese also have a different culture when it comes to dragons, even with the way they look, which is why they look more like serpents."

"Oh."

They rode through the busy market place until they reached their destination, a huge hotel building for foreign visitors. The servants took their packages from the carriage and brought them to the second floor, in a room stylized more to the western style.

"We'll be ready if you need us," one of the servants said before they left the trio in their room.

The very first one that Alejandro opened was one of the smaller ones, and out of it, he took out the iconic black cloak and mask, along with other articles of clothing that he needed including the whip. Next, he also took out the rapiers, one for him and one for his father. And it seemed that people seemed to be more comfortable with wearing blades considering the swords he saw several men carried, so they wouldn't get in trouble for it.

"Don't tell me you're already getting ready," Diego said as he unpacked.

"There is nothing wrong with being ready," Alejandro said. "Zorro will have to get out eventually."

"Well, before that happens we should probably walk out to see more of the city." Diego then looked at his grandson. "Wouldn't you agree?" Joaquin nodded eagerly causing Diego to smile and pat his head. "That's the spirit."

Soon, the three noblemen found themselves walking through the less busy street of Tokyo, the people around glancing at them, not used to seeing the strangely dressed foreigners walking around.

Joaquin tried not to look nervous with all that stares they were getting, causing his father to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Hmm, I think we should stop to eat something," Diego said. "Do you agree?"

"I'd love to! I'm starving!" Joaquin said.

"We may as well. Sure," Alejandro said.

* * *

Sitting at one of the tables in the restaurant called Akabeko sat two men. One of them was a man of a shorter than average height with long red hair tied in a ponytail, blue eyes, and a scar on his cheek in a shape of an 'X'. He was dressed in a pink kimono, a white sash and hakama, and regular wooden sandals, with a katana next to him. The other man was a head taller than his companion, with spiky brown hair tied with a headband and brown eyes. He was dressed in a white jacket with black trim, with his exposed torso covered by bandages, white pants, and sandals.

These men were Kenshin Himura and Sanosuke Sagara respectively. The two were enjoying the noodles they ordered.

"Man, we finally get a break from all the chores at the dojo," Sanosuke said as he finished his noodles.

"I'm surprised Megumi was able to convince you to do actually do them," Kenshin said as he put down his bowl and chopsticks.

Sanosuke just waved him off. "Eh, I also need some simple work once in a while."

"Then I hope that it doesn't stay just once in a while. Miss Kaoru would certainly appreciate it." Sanosuke had a bit of a habit of going to the Kamiya Dojo and looking for free meals. Kaoru was surprised to actually see him help.

Sanosuke then noticed something. "Looks like we're getting some special crowd here."

Kenshin wondered what he was talking about and looked at the entrance to see that three people were coming in. His eyes widened as he recognized the old man as Diego de la Vega, a man he met so many years ago. He saw the two people with him, a younger man and a small boy who he assumed were his son and grandson. He remembered when Diego talked to him about his son and the man matched the description, and he also remembered him saying how his daughter-in-law was expecting a child so it wasn't hard to connect the dots.

Sanosuke saw his friend's expression. "Do you know these people?"

That snapped Kenshin out of his daze. "One of them, actually."

"Are they bad news?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Kenshin said before he smiled. "The old man is actually quite a nice person. I'm sure those two are as well."

The three seated themselves at one of the tables, with the youngest of them feeling a little bit uncomfortable.

"Oh, I wish they had chairs here," he complained as he tried to get comfortable.

"It's not so bad, trust me," Diego said.

One of the waitresses came to them. "What would you like to order?"

Diego put his fingers on his chin in thought before addressing Alejandro and Joaquin. "I was thinking that all of us try some of their specialty, the Sukiyaki beef. What do you two say?" They gave him a nod. "Alright then. Sukiyaki beef for each of us."

"We'll get it ready in no time," the waitress said before departing.

Soon, their dishes were served and they began eating. Joaquin struggled to use the chopsticks, definitely preferring a fork, and even Alejandro struggled a bit but quickly got used to it. The meal was delicious, a good example of Japanese cuisine.

Kenshin looked at the family with a smile on his face, seeing them so happy. Considering how much of war he saw and how many families were ruined it warmed his heart to see something like this. The happy expression on Joaquin's face reminded him of Yahiko somewhat.

"Looks like they didn't notice you," Sanosuke said. "Should we call them?"

Kenshin shook his head. "Let them enjoy their meal. We can approach them after they finish. No need to interrupt a family moment."

Sanosuke shrugged. "I guess so."

Suddenly four men entered the restaurant before one of them roughly moved one of the customers away before looking around the restaurant. His gaze landed on Sanosuke before his eyes narrowed.

"He's here, boys," he said before going at the table where Sanosuke and Kenshin sat at, the other three following him.

This gained attention from other customers, including the de la Vegas.

"What's going on, papa?" Joaquin asked.

Alejandro's and Diego's expressions became serious. It looked like trouble was brimming.

When the four arrived at the table the lead man asked. "Hello there, Sanosuke. It's been a while."

Sanosuke groaned in annoyance. "Oh, great. Just what I needed for dinner."

Kenshin was confused. "Who are these men?" he asked. Sanosuke obviously knew who these men were, and considering how he can get into trouble it wasn't that much of a surprise some were looking for him.

"Your friend here important business with us, but he bailed and it cost us a lot of money," he said as his hand was resting on his katana. "And we want some payback."

"Look, the proposition seemed interesting at first but it lost its charm so I went away. I even brought back the payment you gave me," Sanosuke said.

"That's not how we do things, and you know it," one of the other men said.

As the Vegas watched what was transpiring, Diego recognized the red-haired man. "That's Kenshin Himura," Diego said as he pointed to the said person.

Alejandro glanced at Kenshin. "So that's him? Looks like he's in trouble," he said before rising up and picking up his cane. "I'll give them a hand."

"Can I help, papa?" Joaquin asked.

"Absolutely not. I'll handle it," was Alejandro's quick response making the youngest Vega pout.

"Be careful, Alejandro," Diego said not really referring to his son's health.

"Now listen here, Sanosuke," the lead man said. "You can either pay us upfront or we might end up using force."

"You may as well try, I don't have any money," Sanosuke said without much care, not intimidated by some goons.

Kenshin didn't want the situation to escalate into a fight, but he was ready if such an occasion happened.

"What seems to be the problem, gentlemen," a voice said in Japanese with a somewhat thick accent making the six men turn to see Alejandro standing next to the goons.

"None of your business, foreigner," one of them said.

Kenshin eyed Alejandro. The American was tall, taller than even Sanosuke and reading his body language Kenshin could see he was prepared for a fight.

"Please, no need to get violent," Alejandro said. "I myself have some business with these men and I would very much like for you not to harm them."

"This oaf isn't listening," one of the thugs said before approaching Alejandro, ready to fight. "Now let me show you some-"

He was interrupted as Alejandro grabbed him by the throat before he could even see what was happening before lifting him up and throwing him to the side.

The rest of the thugs were surprised, not expecting someone who they thought was just some foreign noble to suddenly do that. They got over the shock quickly before they glared at him.

"Now you've done it," the lead man said before unsheathing his katana.

Kenshin was worried and went for his own blade, thinking that Alejandro was unarmed in this fight, with Sanosuke ready to help as well, but Alejandro's hand went for the top of his cane where pulled out the hidden blade housed within it and deflected the katana strike much to the shock of the lead thug before cutting at his hand, making him let go of the katana. Alejandro then used the cane to smack him over the head making him fall to the side.

The other two went fight Alejandro with their own blades but Alejandro poked one's eye with his cane, stunning him before smacking him away. The last one went for a slash that was easily deflected by Alejandro's blade before he kneed the thug in the chest who gasped in pain. Alejandro then delivered a punch that sent him flying where his comrades were.

Before they could get up Alejandro stood over them with the sword tip pointed in their direction.

"So, are we going to have any more problems?" he asked.

The four of them backed away before getting up and running out of the restaurant. The rest of the customers looked at Alejandro with smiles on their faces, seeing a foreigner defend some of their countrymen.

"Well, I hope they don't bother anyone again," Alejandro said as he sheathed his blade back into his cane.

"Some nice moves you have there," Sanosuke said as he approached the Californian. "But the help wasn't necessary, we could have handled them easily."

Kenshin also approached. "Regardless, we are still grateful. You have both our gratitude."

Alejandro smiled. "Oh, no need to thank me. I just saw some ruffians causing trouble and taught them a lesson."

"I honestly wish our reunion had happened under more pleasant circumstances," Diego said joining them, and also getting the attention of the two Japanese men.

Kenshin smiled at the old man. "Maybe, but it's a reunion nonetheless," Kenshin said as he extended his hand. "I'm happy to see you again, don Diego."

Diego returned the smile and shook the man's hand. "I share the same sentiment, Kenshin Himura."

* * *

**AN: And that's it for now. It's short but sweet. We see the Vegas arrive in Japan, meet Kenshin and Alejandro has a small action scene. Let's see what's next in-store.**

**And I implore you to check out my other stories, trust me you won't be wasting your time. And leave a review, they are great motivators.**

**See you next time!**


	3. 3 The First Patrol

**AN: Hello there, my dear readers! It is time to finally update this little story. I hope you can forgive the long wait, so enjoy.**

**Now to reviews.**

**mpowers045: Thank you.**

**Dracus6: You'll just have to wait and see.**

**TOSoldtimer: I'm glad you enjoyed it. And thank you.**

**pervy sage: Not at all. If anything, Anthony Hopkins is a perfect voice for Diego considering he played him so well.**

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A Fox in Japan

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3 The First Patrol

In the restaurant, the three Californians sat alongside Kenshin and Sanosuke, deciding to spend some time with the two after the little incident with the thugs. It took a little while for the people to get out of their shocked state at the fight that erupted but all came back to normal.

Diego was happy that he could catch up with the man he had met around ten years ago, with Kenshin sharing the sentiment.

"It is good to see you again, Kenshin Himura," Diego said with a smile as he shook Kenshin's hand. "Allow me to introduce my family to you. This is my son, Alejandro, and his son, my grandson, Joaquin."

Alejandro gave a slight bow with his head. "I'm honored to meet you."

Joaquin then mimicked his father's reaction. "I'm honored as well."

Kenshin nodded. "It is very nice to meet you all, Diego told me a lot about you," he said. "And this is Sanosuke, a good friend of mine."

"Hi there," Sanosuke said.

"I'm happy to see that you decided to once again visit Japan," Kenshin said.

Diego chuckled. "Well, I'm not getting any younger, so I decided to go at least one more time while I can," he said before looking at Kenshin's katana. "I see that you decided to pick up a sword once again,"

"That I did," Kenshin said before taking out his blade, showing how it was sharpened on the opposite side while the other was kept dull. "But I decided to do it a bit differently."

Alejandro raised an eyebrow. "That is quite a peculiar design."

"Indeed," Diego said before putting up his hand. "May I?"

"Of course," Kenshin said with a smile and handed his sword over to the older gentleman.

With one hand on the hilt, while the other carefully handled the blade, Diego examined it. "Hmm, yes, yes. Very good craftsmanship. Well-balanced."

Joaquin tilted his head. "It looks really weird, though. Why make the cutting side dull?"

Alejandro patted his son on the shoulder. "Not all swords are the same, Joaquin. We don't see these types of swords often but they do exist," he said before turning to Diego. "I recall that there are swords in China that have a similar inverse blade design."

"Very true," Diego said as he handed the sword back to Kenshin. "I assume that you adopted this particular design because of your views on harming another person."

Kenshin sheathed the sword. "Indeed, don Diego. I stand by what I said all those years ago."

"Say," Sanosuke began. "Are you people some sort of nobility?"

"Well, our family is very prestigious," Diego said. "My family carried the title of don for decades, and we are among the wealthiest in all of California. Why we were the envy of many Caballeros as well."

"But we don't care about money!" Joaquin quickly chimed in. "We use it to help people in need."

Alejandro chuckled. "What a righteous heart he has," he has before ruffling his son's hair, much to Joaquin's dismay. The boy really wanted to assure people that they weren't like those 'evil rich men who cared only for the money'.

Sanosuke chuckled. "Don't worry, kid. I wasn't accusing you or anything like that. Though, I must admit you can handle yourself quite well, Sir Alejandro."

"Of course I can, señor Sagara. Otherwise, all those lessons with the sword I got when I was a little boy would have gone to waste," Alejandro said whiling giving his father a glance, with Diego only smiling.

"Ah, so that's how it is," Sanosuke said. "Oh right, I should probably thank you for earlier."

Alejandro nodded. "You are most welcome, señor Sagara."

"Please, just Sanosuke, or Sano is fine. Still, I could have handled those guys but the help is still appreciated."

"Say, don Diego," Kenshin began. "How have things been in California during this decade?"

"Oh, pretty peaceful," Diego answered. "But there is still some… unrest happening sometimes. But nothing we couldn't handle."

That got Alejandro to remember something as he looked to an open window and saw the silvery glow of the moon outside. "Speaking of which," Alejandro said before rising up. "I think we should go. It's already late."

Diego looked outside and saw what his son was talking about. "Yes, indeed. I'm sorry, but we have to go."

"Ah, do we really have to?" Joaquin asked.

"Family business, son," Alejandro answered and the boy immediately knew what his father was talking about.

Joaquin gave his father a nod before rising and giving a small bow. "It was an honor dining with you, señor Himura, señor Sagara."

Kenshin smiled at the kid's politeness before rising and bowing back. "I assure you, the honor was ours."

Diego then tipped his hat. "I hope we see each other again. Adios."

"Actually, don Diego, there is a place you can find us," Kenshin said halting them. "It's called the Kamiya Dojo, and we are residents there. You could give a visit if it isn't any trouble."

"Though we better hope that Kaoru doesn't find it a bit too crowded," Sano said before wincing as Kenshin hit him slightly with an elbow.

"We would be honored, señor Kenshin," Alejandro said.

The three Vegas then said their goodbyes before leaving the restaurant, having already paid for their meal, with Kenshin and Sanosuke watching them leave.

"They seem like a nice bunch," Sanosuke commented.

Kenshin nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

"I wonder what this family business they were talking about is."

A grin crept up Kenshin's face. "I think I might have an idea."

That got Sano's attention. "What do you mean?"

"I'll let them explain when they visit."

* * *

The de la Vegas soon arrived back at their hotel, and Alejandro wasted no time in preparing. In their room, he discarded his fancy clothing before donning simple black pants and a black shirt. Then came the cape, followed soon by the mask, gloves, and the black hat for a finishing touch.

Then he took his rapier and holstered it on the belt, then some knives, soon followed by the whip and a pistol. His father didn't really like him using a pistol, but Alejandro was a careful man, and only used it sparingly. Not once did he ever kill a person when he used it.

Alejandro then stood in front of a large mirror and was met with the image of a man whose name made any tyrant's blood run cold, while the poor rejoiced at hearing it.

Zorro.

"You look great, papa," Joaquin commented.

Zorro chuckled. "Why thank you," he said. "But I'm pretty sure you told me that about a thousand times."

"I know, but that's what I think every time I see you," the youngest Vega said. "I can't wait to wear it as well."

Zorro grinned before shaking his head. "My boy," he said before patting Joaquin's shoulder. "If everything goes well, you may not need to wear it at all." Seeing his son look disappointed, Alejandro elaborated. "Look, this costume is a great and dangerous responsibility, not a pastime that you can just enjoy. I know you are aware of how dangerous this is."

Joaquin sighed. "Yes, yes, I know, papa. But that is why I train with the blade. To one day become Zorro."

"Joaquin, right now you are learning to use a sword for self-protection, not for you to take up the mantle," Alejandro explained. He knew first-hand the risks that came with being Zorro, and he would sooner die than expose his son to such dangers. But despite how much he talked Joaquin never got that idealized vision of Zorro from his mind.

"Alejandro," Diego said as he walked into the room before pointing at the window. "It is time for you to go."

Zorro nodded before giving his son a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you soon tomorrow morning, mi hijo."

"Be careful, papa."

Zorro gave him a smile and walked over to the window. Checking to see if there was anyone who would notice him, he found no one and took out his whip. He jumped out of the window and with a strike of the whip he swung to a roof of a nearby house.

Diego then put a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "It's time for you to go to bed, Joaquin. It's already late."

"Si, abuelo," Joaquin said before Diego began escorting him back to his room. "Um, may I ask one thing before bed?"

The elder Vega considered it for a moment before answering. "Of course."

"Do you think that I will one day become Zorro?"

A sigh escaped Diego's lips. "I'm not sure. Who knows what the future holds," he said. "But just so you know, being Zorro, while dangerous, can also be boring."

Joaquin gained a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, while you can stumble upon some bandits or brigands, there is also a chance that you don't stumble upon anything, and just end up roaming the night with nothing going on," Diego explained. He knew from personal experience that you don't always find danger in the night, which can also happen several nights in a row. "But enough about that. Time for bed."

Joaquin nodded and went with his grandpa to his room.

* * *

Zorro ran across the rooftops of Tokyo buildings, his eyes scanning the areas with the precision of a hawk. Despite the vastly different location, this didn't really feel different from what he usually did. The lights throughout the city were put out, making it easier for him to blend in shadow.

Jumping down from the building, his cape fluttering in the night's wind, he landed as silently as a cat. He moved into a shadowy alleyway, becoming practically invisible to everyone who could pass by.

He moved through the alleyway, seeing and listening for anything suspicious. If just some random passersby came he would quickly hide. He was like this for some time now, looking out for any suspicious activities, but unable to find any. The most he found a couple trying to sneak off together. And if that was a crime, then Alejandro could have been considered quite a crime lord.

After searching for a while with no results, Alejandro came to the conclusion that this would be an uneventful night. Just a simple patrol and nothing more.

Deciding to do a little more patrolling, Zorro moved through several more alleyways before he was met with a peculiar sight. There were two local men, both carrying katanas on their hips, and seemingly engaged in some sort of a private conversation. Deciding not to leave any stone unturned, Zorro climbed on the building roof next to them and leaned down on his stomach.

"There is a new shipment of weapons in the nearby storehouse," one of them said. "We found out only yesterday, and it was decided that we should meet there to… acquire some."

Zorro's eyes narrowed as he listened to what was being said. It looked like this night may not be uneventful after all.

"A new shipment?" the other said. "That's great news. If we get our hands on some of them, we won't be this 'inconsequential gang' that the authorities called us."

"We'll be in the big leagues for sure," the first one said. "Now let's go. We don't want to waste any more time."

The other nodded before the two went away in a hurried step. Zorro decided that he got enough out of them and quickly followed. After several minutes they moved to an area with fewer buildings, right where the warehouse was. Several more men waited for them, with Zorro deducing that there must have been a dozen of them, all armed.

One spoke something and made several gestures. One of them lockpicked the front entrance and the rest followed, with two standing outside, likely standing guard.

Moving stealthily, Zorro was able to move to the other side of the warehouse. He checked over to see if the guards noticed him. They didn't. He picked up a pebble and threw it at the side of one's head. The man then got upset and began arguing with his companion under the assumption he was the one who did it.

Zorro grinned. This was too easy. He quickly walked over to the arguing men, who didn't notice him coming. But when they did, Zorro quickly grabbed each of them by the head and slammed them together, making the two grunt as they fell down out cold.

Inside the warehouse, the rest of the thieves looked over the crates and barrels that were located inside. One opened a crate seeing it filled with cabbages but then moved them away until he reached the wood, which was placed too high for a crate of this site. Grinning, the thief knocked the crate over, spilling the cabbages and removing the fake bottom, revealing several rifles hidden there.

"Men, we are very fortunate," he said as he picked up one of the riffles. These weapons were sure to elevate them in the criminal underworld.

One of them was looking over the barrels. He took out his sword and stabbed through the barrel, letting some black substance leak out.

"Guys, I found the gunpowder!" he exclaimed gaining others' attention.

The one holding the riffle looked at his companion. "Well, don't waste it," he said in an annoyed tone. "We need those barrels to-"

A cracking sound was suddenly heard, surprising them before the first thief yelped from the sudden pain in his hand, making him let go of the rifle.

They heard some laughter come from the entrance and saw a cloaked man dressed completely in black with a whip his hand.

"Buenas Noches, mi amigos," Zorro said as he tipped his hat. "I don't believe that shops work so late at night so I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Who is that freak?" one of the thieves asked as he took out his sword.

"Looks like a reject from Kabuki," another commented.

"I am truly sorry, señores," Zorro said as he put away his whip and took out his rapier. "But if you won't leave, I'll have to force you to leave."

They laughed at the threat. "There are ten of us, and only one of you," one of them said. "And since you saw us we cannot let you live."

"How unfortunate," Zorro said.

The bandits then charged at him, their weapons drawn and ready to kill. Zorro grinned before taking out several pellets from a pouch on his belt and threw them at the charging men. The pellets then exploded, covering them in a cloud of smoke. The sudden attack made them come to a halt in surprise.

Zorro quickly ran into the smoke and punched one of them in the face, easily knocking him out. Another in panic swung wildly in the smoke but then felt a pain on his back which made him scream. Another looked around in fear before he heard a scream from one of his comrades, soon followed by another scream.

The thief quickly ran and moved outside the smoke, but then he saw one of his comrades on the floor face first, a bloody 'Z' on his back.

"He… he i-isn't human," the thief stuttered. "He's a demon!" The thief then ran away, accidentally knocking over a barrel that began leaking gunpowder.

Zorro slashed another 'Z' on a thief's cheek with the tip of his rapier before kicking him away. The smoke then cleared and showed the four bandits that were left. Now that they were able to see clearly, they looked at Zorro with hatred in their eyes.

"Let's kill him!" the one in the front yelled as the four charged.

Zorro then parried his katana before slashing a 'Z' over his right eye, stunning him. The three left then continued their assault as they slashed at him with their blades, with Zorro avoiding and parrying then strikes.

The one with a newly acquired scar over his eye glared at Zorro as he saw him engaged with three of his companions. He looked over to the rifles and ran over to them.

Clashing of blade on blade was heard throughout the warehouse as Zorro continued parrying the attacks from the thieves. He then dodged a slash from one's katana before driving the point of his sword into his shoulder, making him drop the weapon.

He then focused on the last two, deflecting a strike from one before kicking him away while continuing his assault on the other, forcing him back. The bandit wasn't prepared for the quick thrusting strikes from the rapier before his katana was deflected from his hand. Zorro grinned before slashing a 'Z' into his chest.

This was going well, Zorro thought. There were no casualties here, and the bandits will probably rethink their life choices after this night. No matter where in the world, bandits were still bandits.

Then he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He saw one of the bandits from before, but this time aiming a rifle at him. Zorro's eyes as the bandit fire the rifle, making him dodge, the bullet only passing through his cape.

Much to their misfortune, the bullet exploded on the ground, with some sparks landing on the trail of gunpowder that led to the barrel and igniting it. The hissing sound caught everyone's attention as they looked in complete horror as the fire followed the trail of gunpowder that led right into the other barrels.

Zorro and the bandits that were still conscious quickly ran for the door. Once Zorro and another bandit got out there was a huge explosion behind them, the kinetic force throwing them away. Zorro rolled on the ground and quickly got his feet before turning around.

Almost a third of the warehouse was reduced to wrecked timber and stone, while the rest was catching fire. The two he left unconscious on the floor were also affected by the blast, with them being severely burned.

"Oh, Madre de Dios," Zorro muttered as he watched the destruction caused. He didn't think that something like this would happen on his first night in Japan as Zorro.

He then heard a groan and saw that the bandit with a scarred right eye rubbing his head in pain. The moment the bandit opened his eyes he looked at Zorro in fear before running away.

Zorro took one last glance at the burning building. Whatever bandits were in there were most likely dead, otherwise, he was pretty sure some of them would have gone out by now. He closed his eyes and sighed before sheathing his sword and retrieving his hat which was thrown from the force of the explosion.

Putting his hat on, he quickly ran from the place. The local authorities were definitely going to be there soon and he didn't want to be seen there.

* * *

**AN: And this is it for now, dear readers! We got some character interactions and more action in this chapter. I hope I made it enjoyable.**

**Once again I implore you to check out my other stories as well, you won't regret it. And leave a review, they are great motivators.**

**See you next time!**


	4. 4 The Fox And The Manslayer

A Fox in Japan

**AN: Hello there, my dear readers! Well, this one came sooner than I thought it would but that's a good thing. It means that you can get more even sooner. So read and enjoy.**

**Now to reviews.**

**mpowers045: Well, you'll just have to see how this chapter plays out.**

* * *

4 The Fox And The Manslayer

* * *

Finding himself on the retreat, Alejandro was back at the hotel where his family was at, but this time he was running on the roof. The explosion from before caught quite a commotion, and it didn't take long for Zorro to hear the whistle that signaled the local authorities. Deciding he had enough patrolling for one night, Alejandro went back.

The second Zorro then peered over the edge of the roof, thankful that they booked a room that was on the top floor. Seeing the empty street below, he grabbed the edge of the building and swung down, entering feet-first through the window of his room.

Letting a sigh of relief he took off his hat and mask, everything else following soon after until he was back in his simple shirt and pants.

He was then greeted by the sight of his father coming over to him in his sleeping clothes. "Dios Mio, Ajelandro!" he exclaimed. "What happened out there? I saw the smoke from here!"

"Things got more complicated than I expected," Alejandro said as he wiped some sweat off his brow. "It would appear I discovered some sort of smuggling operation. I heard some thugs talk about it and followed them to a warehouse. The crates in there were secret containers for firearms and gunpowder. Unfortunately, some powder was lit up by accident and ended up blowing the warehouse, and killing most of the bandits."

A concerned look came across Diego's face as he heard that. "That is… quite concerning," he said. "Tell me, are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. Some bruises at best," Alejandro said. "I'll have to look into this more. It would appear that Zorro is needed here even more than we thought."

"You may be right about that," Diego said. "But right now he isn't. Come, Alejandro, you had a busy night and you need rest."

Alejandro nodded before going to his room while Diego went back to his.

Whatever was happening, Zorro needed to be at full strength to face it.

* * *

Kaoru, dressed in her usual kimono, brought a basket full of clothes outside to dry. There was still some time before noon so the time was perfect. After putting the wet clothes up, a breeze blew in her direction, making her long black hair flutter as she closed her eyes to enjoy the pleasant sensation.

When she walked inside, she was greeted by Yahiko. "Hey, Kaoru. I'll be training outside so call me if you need me."

Kaoru smiled at him. "Alright, thanks for the information."

"Right. See ya!" he exclaimed before quickly running outside with a bokken in his hand.

Kaoru couldn't help but chuckle at the young boy's enthusiasm for improving his swordsmanship. She was certain that her father would have been proud of him if he were still here.

'I should also train some more as well,' she thought. 'Don't want my skills to get rusty.'

* * *

The three Vegas were currently walking up some stairs that led to the place they found out was the Kamiya dojo. Diego decided that they visit the place as soon as possible, eager to meet some people from this land. The rest agreed and immediately got ready.

Alejandro still had the events from the night before in his mind. Somebody was smuggling weapons, and he needed to find out who and why. Despite how many times he tried to get it off his mind there was still the nagging worry in the back of his head that wanted to deal with it quickly, but that was expected as someone who carried the mantle of Zorro.

The youngest Vega was excited about this, his eagerness to meet new people matching that of his grandfather. Wanting to know more about the people who lived in this country made his young mind somewhat impatient.

Joaquin then noticed something or someone that is, just further up the stairs from where they were. "Hey, papa, grandpa. Someone is in front of us."

The two then looked and saw that a person in a blue kimono and long black hair was in front of them.

"Hmm, it would appear that we aren't the only ones who are visiting the dojo today," Diego commented.

"Indeed," Alejandro said before approaching the person. "Excuse me," he called out causing the woman who was in front to turn back. "A thousand pardons, señorita. We were just wondering if you were headed towards the dojo."

The woman smiled. "Yes, I have," she answered. "I am friends with the people inside. But I don't think I met you before."

"Alejandro de la Vega, at your service," he said with a bow. Diego and Joaquin introduced themselves in a similar gentlemanly manner. "We are acquainted with the one Kenshin Himura, and we thought to pay him a visit."

"Oh, so you know Kenshin," she said. "My name is Megumi, Takani Megumi."

Alejandro smiled. "It is an honor to meet a beauty such as yourself."

Megumi's cheeks reddened, both from the compliment and the way Alejandro spoke in such an accent. "W-why thank you."

"Say, my son," Diego said. "Why don't we be gentlemen and escort the lady to the dojo?"

"Oh, my, you really don't have to," Megumi said.

"But we insist," Alejandro said before offering his arm. "It would be rude not to."

Megumi chuckled before putting her own arm under his. "You're all so polite. Why can't more people be like you?"

"That is a mystery even to us, señorita," Alejandro said before the two began walking up the stairs, with Diego and Joaquin following.

When they reached the top, they stood in front of the wooden gates that were the entrance to the dojo. Alejandro knocked several times, and soon after a boy with spiked black hair opened the door.

"Hi, miss Megumi. Good to see you," Yahiko said before looking at the man whose arms she was holding. "And who's that? Your boyfriend?"

Megumi chuckled while Alejandro smiled amusingly.

* * *

In the dining room of the dojo, the de la Vegas, Megumi, and the residents of the dojo, which included Kenshin, the young boy named Yahiko Myojin, and Kaoru, the owner of the dojo. When Kenshin told them that they can expect three foreigners to visit them, and how they were his friends, Kaoru and Yahiko were surprised, even more so when Kenshin explained to them that when he and Sano were attacked by some thugs and one of the foreigners defended them.

The fact that they visited the very next day, with one of them escorting Megumi as well, was also a bit surprising but Kaoru didn't mind, and immediately prepared the gentlemen some tea. They had excellent manners and drank it with some grace, even the young Joaquin.

"This is incredible, señorita Kaoru," Diego commented with Alejandro and Joaquin agreeing.

"Thank you very much, Sir Vega," Kaoru said. "I hope you like your stay in Japan."

"Oh, do not fret about that," Alejandro said. "Our experiences with your country have been very positive." True there was the thing from yesterday, fighting bandits and almost exploding, but those things are expected when you are a vigilante so Alejandro couldn't complain.

"Didn't fight off some thugs in Akabeko yesterday?" Yahiko asked.

"Why yes I did," Alejandro said. "A man was in trouble and I went to help."

"Wow, you're pretty awesome!"

Joaquin smiled. "Of course my papa is awesome, he is-!"

Diego coughed loudly, stopping the youngest Vega from talking. "Now, now, no need to brag."

Kenshin picked up on the exchange, getting the message that they didn't want to have their Zorro secret exposed just yet.

"I think that was very kind of you to do, Sir Alejandro," Megumi said. "Not many people would do such a thing, especially for Sanosuke."

"It was nothing, I assure you," Alejandro said.

"You must be a great swordsman," Yahiko said, wanting to know more about this man.

"Well, the de la Vegas have been taught how to properly use a sword," Diego said before putting up his cane and showing the hidden blade. "It pays to be prepared."

"Wow, that's so cool," Yahiko commented as he looked over the blade. Hiding a weapon in plain sight like that is similar to something a shinobi would do. "I wish had one of those."

"There will be time for that for when you're older, Yahiko," Kaoru said as the young boy's shoulders slumped.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel," Joaquin said. "I also have to wait until I have my own sword."

That piqued Yahiko's interest. "You train with the sword?"

Joaquin nodded. "I do. My papa and abuelo are teaching me."

"Well, I'm also training to be a swordsman," Yahiko said as he crossed his arms. "And trust me, I'll be the best swordsman there ever was."

The two older Vegas chuckled. "I like your enthusiasm, pequeño Yahiko," Alejandro said.

Yahiko raised an eyebrow. "Um, what does that mean?"

"Oh, I apologize. 'Pequeño' means 'little'."

Yahiko then grumbled as he frowned. "I am NOT little!" he said in a raised tone.

"Yahiko, behave yourself!" Kaoru said as she pulled Yahiko by the ear. "I am so sorry about this. Yahiko is shorter than children his age usually are so he is sensitive about that."

"And how old are you, Yahiko?" Diego asked.

"I'm ten."

"Oh, I just turned ten a month ago!" Joaquin exclaimed happily but then he saw Yahiko's mood sour even more. "Um, did I say something?" he asked not knowing that he added salt to injury considering that he was taller than Yahiko.

"Oh, don't worry about it. He'll get over it soon enough," Kaoru said with a smile as she patted Yahiko's shoulder who only mumbled about life being unfair. "But tell me, did you hear about the incident that happened last night?"

Kenshin looked at her puzzled. "What incident?"

"I think that señorita Kaoru is speaking about an explosion that happened," Diego said. "Yes, we heard about it. I wonder what could have caused it."

"Well, there were some rumors that a man dressed in black was the cause of the explosion, but the local police couldn't confirm anything about that."

"I hope nobody was hurt," Alejandro said, actually hoping that no innocents were hurt in the explosion.

"There were people who were unfortunately killed in the explosion, but they seemed to be robbers who attempted to raid the warehouse."

"A misfortune, nonetheless," Alejandro said as he sipped his tea. It was definitely a tragedy since the men who died no longer had any chances of redemption or thinking over their lives. Alejandro has killed before, he cannot deny that, but even he knew that direct confrontations sometimes lead to death.

"I am curious about one thing," Megumi said. "You said that you were friends of Kenshin. Just when did you meet?"

Diego smiled. "Well, my son and grandson only met señor Kenshin today. I met him around ten years ago when I was visiting Japan, after the war has ended."

Megumi, Kaoru, and Yahiko were surprised to hear that piece of information, hearing that he would visit a country not too long after the war was raged in it.

"Yes, I remember," Kenshin said. "You were driving through the countryside I was walking through. I remember how you entertained the young children there with your magic tricks and those pieces of gold you gave them."

"You have gold?" Kaoru asked in slight shock. These people were definitely rich if they can just give out gold pieces if what Kenshin said was true.

"My family amassed quite a fortune over the years, yes," Diego said. "But enough about that. Where were we? Ah, yes. I remember seeing a young man who seemed to aimlessly wander around, that is before I invited him to have a little chat with me."

"I still thank you for that hospitality, don Diego," Kenshin said with a smile.

"It was no trouble at all."

"So that's how you two met?" Yahiko asked.

"Yes, and after that, I decided that I would one day visit Japan again, and, well, here we are," Diego finished telling the story.

"Interesting little tale, father," Alejandro commented.

Diego shrugged. "Nothing special, but it is what is," he said before looking Kenshin straight into his eyes, and the brief glance was enough for Kenshin to read that Diego didn't want him to tell the whole truth.

Kenshin smiled and nodded, subtly sending Diego a response. The truth of how the two met was quite different indeed.

* * *

_Kenshin walked through a small town, his mind busy over what happened in this country recently. This war that was started never left his head, the people he had killed in it, the pain he wrought. It was no wonder he was given the title of 'manslayer'. _

_He looked down at the place his katana used to be, recalling all the times he reached for it to cut someone down. He got rid of it, swearing to never take another life or pick up a sword. He wasn't sure if he could control himself if his hand ever gripped the handle again._

_As he was walking, he noticed quite a peculiar sight. A small group of children was gathered around an older man, one Kenshin could immediately tell was a foreigner. The children around him looking excitedly as the man performed several magic tricks, such as making a rose disappear in his hand or taking out coins from behind the children's ears._

_Kenshin looked at the scene with a smile, happy to see someone bringing such joy after such a depressing time. Even some adults were amused by the sight._

_The man then handed the children something that Kenshin recognized as small pieces of gold. The children thanked him for that and went back to their homes, though they probably didn't know just what exactly they were given._

_The old man then went into a carriage, which soon began driving away. Kenshin was still smiling as he looked at the retreating carriage, happy to see that such nice men still existed._

_Then his keen eyes spotted something, a group of men then walked to the side of the road, and hurriedly moved in the same direction the older man's carriage was headed._

_Kenshin frowned. Bandits. He easily recognized their ilk. They no doubt saw what the nice gentleman was doing and decided to rob him. It was something Kenshin wouldn't allow to happen. He then suddenly froze as he felt his hand instinctively reach for the sword that used to be there. He clenched his fist and shook his head. It would seem that old habits really did die hard._

_He couldn't waste any more time and he began running into the forest where the foreigner and the bandits went. It would be dark soon and he was certain they would attack him the moment the sun was down. While he wasn't as good of a warrior as he was with a sword, he was still skilled enough to repel some bandits._

_The night arrived, and Kenshin finally caught up to the bandits, seven in total, who were now surrounding the man's carriage._

_"__Come on out, we know you have money!" one of them yelled. "Why don't you make this easy for us?! It's no fun beating up an old man!"_

_The rest of the bandits laughed while Kenshin glared. These men were nothing but vermin, attacking those weaker than they were. The Battousai was about to make his move when suddenly the door of the carriage opened, and a voice spoke in accented Japanese._

_"__I give you this one chance," it said. "Turn away or you will feel the strike of my whip and the bite of the blade of Zorro!"_

_The bandits were surprised at first but then laughed again. "This guy is clearly crazy. He speaking non-"_

_With a movement that only Kenshin could see, a whip struck the ground in front of the bandits, a sudden fire erupted and took the shape of a letter 'Z' that burned on the sandy road._

_The bandits were shocked to see that but even more so when a sudden black blur tackled the two in the front and slammed them on the ground. A black figure then rose above the knocked out bandits, completely covered in black along with a hat, cape, and a mask that only revealed his eyes. In one hand he held a whip while in the other was a sword that the bandits have never seen before._

_"__I warned you, banditos," the black-clad man said. Then he dashed at one of the bandits who couldn't bring his katana up for defense as the man blade quickly cut a 'Z' his chest, making him scream and fall on his back._

_One tried to attack from behind but the man in black swung his whip and caught the bandit's arm. Pulling back, the bandit was forced to meet that dark man's boot as it struck him in the head and sent him flying._

_The three remaining ones went to attack at the same time, but the man in black jumped away before striking with his whip and giving it a small twist. The whip struck one of the bandits on the cheek, getting a yell out of him. The struck bandit went to nurse his wounded cheek as blood dripped from yet another 'Z' that made, and in quite an unorthodox way, before he ran away._

_The man in black went for another strike with his whip, but one of the bandits got lucky as he swung his katana, slicing the whip in half. The man in black inspected his ruined weapon before throwing it away._

_"__I congratulate you for this accomplishment," he said before pointing his blade at the two bandits. "Now, en gardé!" The bandits gathered their courage and attacked._

_Kenshin was completely shocked at what was happening in front of him. This man in black was completely decimating the bandits. Was this the same old man from before? Whoever he was, the man was definitely skilled. He had seen similar tricks to what this man had pulled during the war, and the way he fought spoke of years of experience._

_There was another thing that Kenshin noticed. The man in black should be on a similar level as himself, which meant that he could have easily killed those bandits. But no, this man went for non-lethal strikes, either knocking them out or wounding them to the point where they would have scars, but no serious injuries._

_And from the way things were going, it would seem that he wasn't needed after all._

_The man in black deflected the slashes sent his was by the bandits, easily countering them before dealing a quick slash to one of the bandit's hands, making him let go of his sword. The bandit then ran away as well, leaving the last one to fight the man in black._

_The fight was clearly one-sided as the bandit was easily pushed back but the makes man's thrusting style. The man in black then disarmed his opponent and pointed the tip of his blade at his neck._

_"__Now then," he began. "Perhaps you'll-"_

_The man in black was interrupted as he felt a jolt of pain in his leg, forcing him to kneel. The bandit then quickly slammed his knee into the masked man's chest forcing him back and making him land on the ground. _

_The masked man then saw the bandit he had just previously defeated holding his sliced whip, no doubt what he used to incapacitate him. The downed man then cursed to himself. He never would have made that mistake in his youth. _

_Another kick from a bandit made the masked man groan in pain as the other soon joined him, the two of them beginning to hit the downed man repeatedly._

_Kenshin's mouth hung open for a moment at the surprising turn of events. The masked man that just made sport of the bandits just a few moments ago was now at their mercy. The grunts of pain began to sound louder as the two continued kicking him._

_Seeing a dropped katana on the ground, Kenshin quickly picked it up. Then he caught his breath in his lungs as he saw that once again he has easily reached for a weapon. His arm began shaking as the familiar sensation began coursing through it._

_He gained the urge to drop the sword and run away, not wanting to risk getting blood on his hands again. Then he looked back at the masked man and saw that he was beginning to spit blood. No, he couldn't let this man die._

_One of the bandits disengaged from what he was doing as he went to pick up his dropped sword. Standing over the masked man, he was ready to finish him, his hands raised in the air._

_"__Leave him alone!" Kenshin yelled surprising the bandits. He dashed over to them, his hand instinctively going for a disarming motion. But at the last moment, he turned the katana in his hands around, which made the blunt end of the blade strike the bandit at the wrist joints._

_The bandit screamed in pain as he felt his wrist break, the katana dropping on the ground. Kenshin honestly felt relieved. Normally that strike would have sliced the hand off, but since he used the other side the only damage done was a broken wrist. Kenshin quickly struck again with the opposite end of the katana and struck the bandit in the head knocking him out._

_The last bandit stood there in shock. Not only did they have to deal with the masked man, now this one suddenly comes and easily dispatches his comrade. He couldn't ponder on it for too long as Kenshin was suddenly in front of him, hitting him right in the stomach with the hilt of the blade and making him double over in pain. Then Kenshin delivered an elbow strike right in the bandit's face, dropping him down unconscious as well._

_Quickly dropping the sword, Kenshin leaned down to the man in black, who seemed to have been knocked out from all the punishment he was receiving. Moving the mask away from his face, Kenshin's suspicions were confirmed when he saw that it was indeed the old man from before now bruised and bloodied._

_Kenshin then put the man's hand over his shoulder and picked him up before carrying him back to the carriage. He needed to get back to the village quickly or the man would die. And he wasn't going to let that happen._

* * *

"I've also heard that you train people to use the sword in this dojo." Kenshin blinked as he was brought to reality by Alejandro's voice that was addressed to Kaoru.

"I do indeed. This dojo has been in my family for generations, and it is my duty to keep it. I teach anyone willing to learn how to fight in my family's style. And Yahiko is one of the students here," Kaoru said causing Yahiko to cross his arms and smile proudly.

"That is a noble cause, señorita Kaoru," Diego said.

Yahiko then pointed at Joaquin. "Hey, maybe the two of us can fight with our styles to see who is a better swordsman!"

"Calm down, Yahiko! You shouldn't just go and challenge people like that!" Kaoru scolded.

Kenshin couldn't help but chuckle at what was going on. The de la Vegas have certainly already made the situation interesting that's for sure. And he was sure they would make it even more interesting in the future.

* * *

**AN: And that is it for now! And some of you may have noticed, I took some inspiration from the Geeks For Fun's video about the events that played out, but I did change a few things like Kenshin using a regular katana instead of picking up Zorro's rapier. I hope you don't mind too much and I hope you enjoyed!**

**Implore you to check out my other stories, trust me, they are worth it. And leave a review. They are great motivators.**

**See you next time!**


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